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A spokesman for Mendip District Council said: “We can confirm that the council will be demolishing the old public toilets at Cork Street, Merchants Barton and Badcox car parks to free up more car parking spaces.

“We will consider the suggestion from the Frome Chamber of Commerce to include a bench in the new Cork Street layout, and will work with Frome Town Council, who are our partners on the Boyle Cross scheme, to see if replacement free parking for the Market Place can be identified.”

These toilets are due to go

Frome Chamber of Commerce has welcomed the news, but also questioned whether these spaces would replace those due to lost at the Boyle Cross.

A spokesman said: “MDC will (at last) be demolishing the public toilets at Cork Street, Merchants Barton and Badcox and will convert these to car parking spaces. They will also demolish the toilets at Gore Hedge. This should happen in the next few months.

“We don’t know if the spaces will be free to replace those at the Boyle Cross – I suspect not.

“It has also been suggested that at Cork Street some benches would be better, or at least should be included.”

The Cork Street public toilets are due to be demolished

Colin Sampson, 34, set up the petition earlier this year. He lives with his wife and nine-month-old son in Frome has lived and worked in the town for 16 years having from moved from Midsomer Norton where he grew up.

Speaking to Somerset Live, he said: “I am passionate about this beautiful town of ours and I am determined that it should look its best - especially as it's recently become rather a rather famous tourist destination.

“I think it is a great shame to see so many derelict buildings in our town centre causing an eyesore when they could be put to back into good use.

Colin Sampson

“Frome Town Council have been trying for years on several occasions to aquire the ownership of these toilets from Mendip District Council but to no avail.

“After the final toilet block was closed - Frome town council were forced to start the community toilet scheme where anyone can go into a participating ship and ask to use their toilets.

“Although I applaud the scheme - it's not ideal as these services should be available to use with discretion and some do not like to ask to use a toilet.”

The derelict toilets on Cork Street have come under fire at Frome Town Council meetings in the past.

Back in March a member of the public raised the issue in the public questions segment of the meeting.

She said: “There’s a terrible smell coming from those toilets and there are lots of rats inside. It’s been empty for more than 12 years now and it’s a disgusting site.

“I want to know where that bad smell is coming from – is it from a broken sewage pipe or something?

“I’ve been hounding Mendip District Council on this issue for some time now. I’ve sent photographs to them but they won’t do anything about it.”

What do you think about the decision to demolish the toilets? Should they have renovated the toilets? Should they have kept the buildings? Let us know your thoughts. Get in touch using james.wood@westgaz.co.uk